This might be a silly question but...

[MonkeyPie]

...it''s more of a curiosity than anything.

For those of you that are pregnant/have been pregnant, in the first couple months did you gain weight right away? What about a "stretching" sensation as your uterus expands with the baby?

I only ask because even though I haven''t missed a period, my last few have been wonky and now I am having some weird issues that I have never had before. I have been off BC for two years but it isn''t terribly likely I''m pregnant...I was just curious so I don''t waste a test

I''ve gained some weight rather rapidly the past few months despite my daily routine being the same as it always has been, and I actually have a stretch mark (!) right above my belly button that wasn''t there before. I don''t fit in some of my most comfy looser pants without a struggle and I have had a couple weird sensations in my lower abdomen. A stretching feeling, like growing pains kind of. And a "full" feeling. Not to mention my boobs are about to fall out of my bra...omg. Even my husband noticed they seem bigger.

I know I could pass these things off as something else, but it''s weird and I just have a nagging feeling...so before I run out and buy a test I am wondering if these are things you experienced being pregnant.

Thanks ladies

 

[Independent Gal]

Well, that sounds like my pregnancy symptoms (except the stretch mark... those come a little later). Get yourself to a drug store and pee on a stick, honey. Seriously! Like NOW! Better safe than sorry!

Have you had any nausea? Or have your boobs been sore?

If you are pregnant, you will want to know NOW, not later because early pre-natal care and vitamins and stuff are important! Plus, if you're not prego, you may want to check with your doctor about why you're feeling weird and why your periods are weird (and yes, some pregnant women get weird pseudo-periods through the first trimester and beyond!).

Would it be good news or bad news if you ARE pregnant, sweety?

 

[MonkeyPie]

Thanks Indy Gal I''m glad to know I''m not just imagining it!

I talked to my husband about it last night. While it wouldn''t be horrible, it wouldn''t be the perfect scenario I was hoping for, either. We are trying to knock out bills so we can move someplace better (I kinda live in ghetto town right now), so if I WERE, we would just buckle down and do it faster. We aren''t poor, but we aren''t in the most ideal situation. I do have decent insurance at least, and we work together so that saves money from gas and such. I don''t know. DH seemed rather calm about it last night when he was rubbing my tummy cause the stretching sensation was rather uncomfortable. We would be ok

Not to mention my clock has been ticking for over a year lol.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I only gained a few months my first trimester. My massive weight gain came in my second half. I think it was 30 weeks before I noticed a stretch mark. If you really think you are than I would take a test. It isn''t a waste b/c you need to take care of yourself if you are. My early symptoms were cramping, upper back ache, side of my boobs were sore, and really greasy hair. Oh and SOOOO tired. I got m/s around 6 weeks.

 

[erica k]

How long has it been since your last AF? If you haven''t missed a period but they''ve been a little wonky, you might want to take a test anyway (they aren''t so expensive, and it doesn''t hurt to know). I haven''t really gained any weight in the past 2.5 months, but I definitely felt a slight cramping/stretching during the early weeks.

As for unexpected weight gain, you might also want to be tested for hypothyroidism. A friend of mine was just diagnosed. She had been gaining weight, feeling really irritable, and her eyes started bulging slightly. The only reason why I think it might not be a pregnancy is because you haven''t missed a period in the past few months. Of course, I''ve also heard of women having one or two "AFs" during the first trimester.

Here are some symptoms that I found online. Granted, many of these symptoms could apply to many other issues:

Fatigue
Weakness
Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight
Coarse, dry hair
Dry, rough pale skin
Hair loss
Cold intolerance (can''t tolerate the cold like those around you)
Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches
Constipation
Depression
Irritability
Memory loss
Abnormal menstrual cycles
Decreased libido

 

[MonkeyPie]

I figured the stretch mark WAS kinda early. I haven''t missed a period and even though you can keep having them a couple months after you get pregnant, that still seems fast to me.

I''ll just stop at the dollar store and get a test this afternoon. I just discovered you can buy them there! Yay for the dollar store.

Did any of you ever have lightheadedness/fainting issues?

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 7/31/2008 11:25:41 AM
Author: erica k
How long has it been since your last AF? If you haven''t missed a period but they''ve been a little wonky, you might want to take a test anyway (they aren''t so expensive, and it doesn''t hurt to know). I haven''t really gained any weight in the past 2.5 months, but I definitely felt a slight cramping/stretching during the early weeks.

As for unexpected weight gain, you might also want to be tested for hypothyroidism. A friend of mine was just diagnosed. She had been gaining weight, feeling really irritable, and her eyes started bulging slightly. The only reason why I think it might not be a pregnancy is because you haven''t missed a period in the past few months. Of course, I''ve also heard of women having one or two ''AFs'' during the first trimester.

Here are some symptoms that I found online. Granted, many of these symptoms could apply to many other issues:

Fatigue -
Weakness
Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight
Coarse, dry hair
Dry, rough pale skin
Hair loss
Cold intolerance (can''t tolerate the cold like those around you)
Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches
Constipation
Depression
Irritability
Memory loss
Abnormal menstrual cycles
Decreased libido

I thought about thyroid actually...my mom had those issues in the past, so I very well may too.

Let''s do a check on your list:

Fatigue - check
Weakness - check
Weight gain or increased difficulty losing weight - check
Coarse, dry hair
Dry, rough pale skin
Hair loss
Cold intolerance (can''t tolerate the cold like those around you)
Muscle cramps and frequent muscle aches - check
Constipation - check
Depression - check
Irritability - check
Memory loss
Abnormal menstrual cycles - check
Decreased libido

Well that doesn''t help me much lol. Oh dang it, I am just going to take a test.

 

[erica k]

Definitely take the test and let us know how it goes. If it makes you feel any better, my pregnancy was not exactly planned, and it puts us in a not-so-great position financially and academically/career-wise. It sounds like you will be ok either way, but there''s nothing wrong in having mixed feelings about a possible pregnancy. I am hardly the poster-child for super blissful excited mama-to-be, but I''m not really unhappy about it, either.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Thanks ladies. I knew I could at least ask and someone would be helpful, and you certainly have been.

I''ll go ahead and pick up a test tonight and I''ll let you ladies know. I can''t decide if I hope for a positive or a negative, but I''ll know either way!

 

[Miranda]

TAKE A TEST!!!

I didn''t know I was preggo with #2 until I was 10 wks. I had recently stopped nursing #1 so AF was spotty. I thought the early preggo symptoms were just fatigue from taking care of a small child and I didn''t have the nausea I had w/ #1. I thought the bloating was just gas, lol! I don''t know about your stretch mark. That seems a little weird, but, weirder things have happened with pregnancy!

 

[MonkeyPie]

Date: 7/31/2008 12:32:12 PM
Author: Miranda
TAKE A TEST!!!

I didn''t know I was preggo with #2 until I was 10 wks. I had recently stopped nursing #1 so AF was spotty. I thought the early preggo symptoms were just fatigue from taking care of a small child and I didn''t have the nausea I had w/ #1. I thought the bloating was just gas, lol! I don''t know about your stretch mark. That seems a little weird, but, weirder things have happened with pregnancy!

Ack! Lol

And maybe I''m just getting fat and I''m in denial

It wouldn''t be the first time lol.

 

[Miranda]

Date: 7/31/2008 1:05:31 PM
Author: MonkeyPie

Date: 7/31/2008 12:32:12 PM
Author: Miranda
TAKE A TEST!!!

I didn''t know I was preggo with #2 until I was 10 wks. I had recently stopped nursing #1 so AF was spotty. I thought the early preggo symptoms were just fatigue from taking care of a small child and I didn''t have the nausea I had w/ #1. I thought the bloating was just gas, lol! I don''t know about your stretch mark. That seems a little weird, but, weirder things have happened with pregnancy!

Ack! Lol

And maybe I''m just getting fat and I''m in denial

It wouldn''t be the first time lol.

You poor thing! Take a test. Take a test. Take a test. Take a test.

 

[Independent Gal]

OK, Monkeypie! What''s the verdict?

 

[robbie3982]

Ok, I''m not pregnant and have never been pregnant, but I have babies on the brain and hang out on some baby/pregnancy websites. I''ve heard that there are a few bad lots of the $ tree tests out there right now that are giving false positives. These are the ones that, according to some threads on babygaga.com are bad:
11157C36
10267C36E EXPIRES: 01/2010

There may be more lot numbers than this, but these are the only ones I could find. One girl actually had her husband take one and it came back positive!

 

[Independent Gal]

My advice would be: if a dollar store one comes back positive, then you go to the drugstore and buy a digital one!

I've never heard of false positives before. The tests must just be fakes? How could you get a false positive unless the chemicals on the strip weren't the right ones? Sounds like monkey business to me.

No offense, uh, monkeypie.

 

[VegasAngel]

I love the digital tests.

Anyway, you have a better chance of getting a false negative than a positive. I did a quick search & I dont see anything about recalled pregnancy tests.

 

[robbie3982]

Date: 7/31/2008 9:26:14 PM
Author: VegasAngel
I love the digital tests.


Anyway, you have a better chance of getting a false negative than a positive. I did a quick search & I dont see anything about recalled pregnancy tests.

They haven''t recalled them. They''re refusing even though numerous people have called in to complain. In general, yes, you do have a better chance of getting a false negative (which really means it''s just too early to get a positive) than a false positive, but there''s something wrong with the tests in these lots. Besides these lots, dollar tree tests are actually supposed to be one of the most sensitive kinds. Check out www.peeonastick.com for comparisons.

 

[VegasAngel]

Date: 7/31/2008 11:13:45 PM
Author: robbie3982

Date: 7/31/2008 9:26:14 PM
Author: VegasAngel
I love the digital tests.


Anyway, you have a better chance of getting a false negative than a positive. I did a quick search & I dont see anything about recalled pregnancy tests.

They haven''t recalled them. They''re refusing even though numerous people have called in to complain. In general, yes, you do have a better chance of getting a false negative (which really means it''s just too early to get a positive) than a false positive, but there''s something wrong with the tests in these lots. Besides these lots, dollar tree tests are actually supposed to be one of the most sensitive kinds. Check out www.peeonastick.com for comparisons.

If someone wanted to they could take the faulty tests to a whole new level. I used $ store tests & they were just as accurate as the others I used. Still love digital tests- no second guessing.

 

[robbie3982]

Vegas Angel, I''m not saying that Dollar Tree tests in general are bad, I''m just cautioning Monkey that these 2 lots of them are known to give false positives.

 

[MonkeyPie]

Well, the dollar store test thing is moot anyway - I took a clearblue easy and it was negative. No baby in the belly.

I can''t decide if I''m sad about it or not lol. But either way, I am visiting a doctor, because it must mean something else is wrong with me. Time to hit the gym LOTS too!

Thanks for your support and help ladies, it meant a lot!

 

[NYCsparkle]

maybe your thyroid is out of whack...it happened to my mom a few years ago and when i mentioned she could be preggo she almost passed out---luckily for her it was her thyroid.

 

[erica k]

Sounds like it might be a thyroid issue. I hope you can get it figured out quickly. Good luck with your doctor''s appointment!

 

[Independent Gal]

Yup, thyroid is a definite possibility. Off to the doctor with you, Monkeypie! Keep us posted. We''ll be thinking of you.